Red River of Darkness
Chapter One Libby rose from the ground, finding herself on a field. The sky was cloudy, and castles and kingdoms loomed close to her. This isn’t home…. ''Villages with people were there. Libby gasped, as she was wearing gloves, encrusted with a sapphire. Deciding that she should head over to civilization, the brunette padded farther from the endless plains. “Hello?” Libby turned to see a strange-looking woman drawing awfully close to Libby. “Uh, hi.” Libby said. “Who are you?” the blue-haired girl asked. “Libby.” The brunette answered. “I’m Theia.” The woman said, introducing herself. “Cool!” “Anyways,” Theia stuttered. “I wanted to warn you to not go over to that village. The queen is not that friendly to outsiders. If you want to settle, you can bunk with me!” “Oh,” Libby barked. “Where are we exactly?” Theia heaved a deep sigh, then spoke. “Qiblette. Close to Mount Olympus.” “Mount ''Olympus?” Libby was amazed. “Yeah!” Theia said, annoyed. “Y’ know, the gods live there.” “So I could see Athena?” asked Libby. “Why do you want to see her?” “She can help solve my problems. I’m not supposed to be here!” “Alright.” Theia sighed. “Pogonip, here!” A majestic white Pegasus slowly flapped down the limit of sky, mane bristling through the chilly breeze. Theia leaped on him, beckoning Libby to come on, too. Reluctantly, Libby climbed onto the huge creature. Once again, Pogonip’s wings spread, entering the realm of sun and blue and clouds. He was gliding quickly across the sky, Libby enjoying the ride. There was a huge way up from the earth below, there it was- Mount Olympus in all its glory. But Pogonip calmly zipped past it. “The stop was right there!” snapped Libby. “You don’t need her help!” said Theia. A droplet splashed onto Libby’s nose. “Great.” growled Libby. “A storm is coming.” Rain began to drip more frequently down the sky, which had transformed into a sinister color of dark gray. “POGONIP!” shouted Theia. “GET DOWN! FIND SHELTER!” A whinny was what came out of the Pegasus’s mouth, certainly frightened by the rainstorm. Libby felt rain run down her clothes, and huddled close to Theia, who’s clothes were also soaked. The winged horse then bucked the duo off its back, Libby and Theia sent falling down the sky like the raindrops. A river loomed near, so Libby shouted to Theia with all her voice power. “AIM FOR THE RIVER!” Theia pushed close to Libby, then splash ''they went, facefirst into the channel of water. Libby couldn’t see a thing, but something grabbed her hand, forcing her to the beach. Opening her eyes, Libby saw it was the lean shape of Theia, who was pointing to a cabin. “COME ON!” she called. Libby rushed into the cabin, panting as she slammed the door. Theia unpacked her knapsack, a crystal necklace gleaming. She put it on her neck. Thunder rumbled from outside the shelter. There was a fireplace there, Theia finding flint to ignite it with. Now there was a crackling fire before the two, Libby feeling warmer. “This can be our temporary shelter.” Theia said solemnly. Libby gave a nod, unable to use her voice after shrieking the way to Theia, who plopped onto one of the nearby beds. Libby joined her, but on a different one, letting sleep get the best of her. ''A beautiful vocal melody was the only thing Libby could hear. Wait, no, there was growling. A slender jackal streaked with blue and black was standing on two legs. It was wearing a pharaoh headdress, and its ears were driven back. It began to run over to a sea. The song died down, a fish tail splashing down into the water. The jackal gave a snap, and horrifyingly, in a dark voice said: “This isn’t over, sea-girl!” Chapter Two'' ''What was the jackal talking about? Why was he even talking at all? Now the jackal was gazing at the foaming sea, his face no longer twisted in a snarl. Now he looked calm, and as he touched the water, all his Egyptian stuff disappeared. He looked like an Egyptian boxer, but now much less intimidating. Then voices began to echo Libby’s name. '' “Libby!” It was Theia, who was nudging Libby. “The storm has passed. It’s morning.” Libby let out a sigh of relief. The thing she had seen was only a dream. But did it mean something? Maybe. Libby decided that she would travel with Theia from now on, and worry about the dream later. “Alright.” Libby tried to stay calm. “Where do we go now?” “Well,” Theia said. “I’m a wanderer. Just go where the wind takes me.” Libby groaned, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, Theia went over to the woods, Libby following. The sky was still cloudy, but there were now blue holes in there, sunlight slightly peeking. Then a sigh rose from the forest. It was low, like the sound of the jackal from her dream. When Libby entered the no-longer silent woods, there was a blue and black jackal, like the one from her dream. He had an Egyptian flare with him, eyes glowing and red with sadness. He was grieving! “Hey.” Libby tried comforting him. “Are you alright?” But the creature said nothing, only a low growl escaping his throat. “Get away, kid.” he snapped. “I don’t expect you to know anything.” “LUCARIO!” shouted Theia, looking at the annoyed, but somber canine. “We meet again, Theia.” The jackal, who was apparently named Lucario spat. “I mean no harm!” Theia said. “And neither does Libby. If you really want to, you can come with us, and forget about your worries for a while.” “Fine.” Lucario barked. So now Lucario was added to the group, forming a trio. Eventually his grumpiness faded, and Libby discovered a friendly, witty heart under all of that outside matter. He brought joy to the other two, giving Libby a better feeling. Picking berries, Libby gave the others a bunch of raspberries. There was only berries, no prey. Now the clouds had vanished, the sun shimmering light on the three, who were laying down and enjoying the peaceful weather, their eyes closed. On the start ride, the weather sucked, but now on the second day, she had befriended Lucario, and warm weather lurked near. When the sun set, they had ventured very deep in the woods, and found a cabin nearing a cliff leading to a river, but not too close. By the time there were stars in the sky, the three were dozing off, tired, and ready to dream. “Lele.” Quiet whispering voices echoed in the distance, Libby rising from her bed. Glitter shimmered outside the window. As Libby creaked open the door, and slowly, silently shut it, she wanted to see where those sparkles were coming from. Suddenly, more sparked along the path, driving Libby forward. The glittery fragments kept reappearing and disappearing farther and farther. What Libby didn’t realize was that she was at the edge of the cliff, beginning to fall. Luckily, she grabbed on the piece of land before she could strike the air. But as soon as she put her foot on the “canyon”, her hands and legs broke free, Libby falling, her eyes squeezed shut, expecting to die. As Libby hit the water, she sunk deeper into the river, although she held her breath. To her surprise, hands gripped her, and something was pushing her up. A warm breeze, ruffled her hair, meaning she was out of the water. When Libby looked at her rescuer, there was only a figure of black, and the person dived back into the water. Chapter Three Libby woke up struggling on sand. ''Why am I here? ''Then the memory came back to her, her fall, her rescue. Then a lean figure stepped out of the desert coming. “Who are you?” she asked. “L-libby.” Libby stammered. “I’m Cleopatra.” the strangely dressed girl replied. “But you may call me Cleo. I’m just trying to get a break from my dad, Ptolemy. He’s obsessed with me as pharaoh.” “Really?” Libby was astonished. “Yeah!” Cleo said. “I can come with you if you want.” “Could you please help me get to that cabin over there?” “Sure!” Cleo said. “Turns out, there’s actually a secret staircase. By the river.” “Were you the one who rescued me?” asked Libby. “From the river?” “No.” Cleo said. “I think Anuket or Fini may have saved you.” “Why would an Egyptian god save me?” Libby said. Cleo stepped on a stone, triggering a path underground. The two stepped upon each creepy, slippery stair with caution, until they reached the top. Cleo knocked on the top, it opening. Theia was there. “Libby, where were you?” she asked. “And who’s this?” “I fell off a cliff. Someone rescued me, and placed me on the sand. Then I met Cleo here when I woke up, and she showed me the way up here. And you opened the door.” “Cleo?” Lucario looked puzzled. “As in CleoPATRA?” “Yup.” Libby nodded. “She says she wants to tag along with us.” “That would be our honor.” Theia dipped her head. “Where are we going to go now?” asked Lucario. “Allo Oasis.” Theia responded. “It’s an amazing trade site. Then we can go to the ocean and sail south to the Tropicals.” So Cleo, Theia, Libby, and Lucario traveled down the eerie set of stairs, taking their belongings in a knapsack, and hunted a rabbit, cooking it. It gave them the strength they needed to travel on through the kingdom of Egypt, and the hot plains of Qibli. Cleo said goodbye to Ptolemy and Gozi, but said she would be back eventually. One night the four spent in Egypt before they left to follow the river into the desert. Libby was parched, so she asked Theia to purify the water with one of her crystals, and Libby enjoyed the fresh taste of the water, straining her to go farther with every ounce of blood in her veins, and every last drop of her energy. Then, finally, at sunset, they arrived at Allo Oasis. Libby could tell by all of the tents lined up by the skinny strip of water. Now Libby was exhausted after the long journey from the forest. When they entered the site, there was a rest hut, Libby plopping on one of the beds. ''Finally! ''Quickly, she and Cleo gave way to sleep, restoring their energy for another long journey- one through rest, on the way to their dreams. ''A song rose in the distance, but not a human song, a song of wolves, the sound of the wild clearly hidden in each of their spirits. Then there was Lucario. His eyes were shut, but he was standing still. As he opened his eyes, the wolves howled louder. Libby stared in horror as she saw that his eyes were a blank shade of red, no pupils. Then, a black hole appeared on the ground. A black jackal was slowly floating out of it, his eyes being a blank yellow. Libby knew what they were doing. Lucario, the wolves, they were doing a ritual to summon this jackal. '' Now it was morning, and the dream wiped off of Libby. Then a voice summoned Libby and Cleo out of the hut. “Come on, you two! We’re going to trade!” “Coming!” shouted Libby. Theia went over to an area where someone wanted twenty crystals, and in return would give the user some utility called the “Gauntlets of Power.” “Here.” The man called, beckoning Theia. Theia picked out twenty of her crystals. She told Libby that these things were rare, and different ones could be used for different things. So Theia handed the person her crystals, and received the Gauntlets of Power. The lapis lazuli gem encrusted in it shimmered. Then Lucario went over to the next station, and traded his Egyptian necklace for a star necklace, with a small star in the middle of it. Libby and Cleo, on the other hand, had nothing brought with them, and simply weren’t interested in this stuff. “Alright, guys.” called Theia. “Lucario and I are going to build a raft to sail over the ocean. Could you please help pack our belongings in the knapsack?” Cleo and Libby nodded obediently. “I wonder what’s out there.” Libby said. “I heard the land is tropical.” answered Cleo. “Which means there could be dangerous creatures living within the rainforests and oceans. Like dragons and sirens.” “Dragons?” Libby giggled. “Are you sure those exist? Same with sirens.” Cleo glared at Libby. “Don’t you know anything about this world?”Category:Fanfiction Category:In progress